Unnatural Phenomenon
by Crimson Vendetta
Summary: An elite Arcosian warrior finds himself suddenly spirited away from the face of death, only to wake up on a world he's never seen before. Without a clue as to how or why he's there, Gelidus embarks on a journey so incredibly far away from home that not even the Supreme Kai of Time is aware. (Based on DBZ Xenoverse, but greatly altered plot-wise.)
1. A Beginning To An End

"We don't have the luxury to discuss plans right now! Go!"

The surrounding buildings crumbled, creating a smokescreen of dust and debris that surrounded the two Arcosians, blinding them. By the time it cleared, the one who gave the order was already gone.

"Damn…!" Gelidus clenched his fist and begrudgingly turned to head for the square of the city, seething with anger as he witnessed his home planet being destroyed before his very eyes. He wasn't about to stand by and watch his world fall at the hands of another without a fight, no matter the opponent. Taking to the air, he set course for the distant crashes and explosions ahead.

Gelidus suddenly halted mid flight as something teal caught the corner of his eye, ignoring the obvious rampage a few miles away from him that demanded his attention. Landing next to the unknown thing, he moved a damaged girder away only to realize that it was a child trapped under the ruins of a building. Gelidus's heart skipped a beat, kneeling down and checking for a pulse in the little one's neck, hoping it wasn't too late. After a few moments passed, he closed his eyes and bowed his head, finding nothing but the coldness of death. The kid died instantly when the structure toppled over him. The Arcosian race may be durable once they reach maturity, but unfortunately that did not ring true for the young ones.

Standing back up with the fire in his being renewed, Gelidus quickly took flight and sped through the air towards the latest explosion. Whoever these invaders were weren't going to be alive after he dealt with them. He'd make sure of it.

As he closed in on the target, Gelidus tapped a button on his scouter to activate its ability to read power levels. His eyes widened in surprise as the power level kept going higher and higher, rising above his own, even his superior and best friend's: 650,000,000. That couldn't be right… The thing had to be broken. And yet, as Gelidus finally reached his destination, he stopped and floated midair to assess his newest enemy with a stern, cautious gaze.

The figure turned to face the Arcosian with a wicked grin after reveling in his newest remodeling job that was the fountain Gelidus played in when he was small. "A new plaything, huh? Hope you're more fun than the others. All they're good for is frying to a crisp and dying." He laughed, brushing the dirt off his hands as casually as if he'd just finished an everyday task.

The comment did nothing but boil Gelidus's blood, however, he kept his cool and simply grit his teeth as he considered the intruder and his strength. "What's your business here? Who are you?"

The figure tilted his head mockingly, like he was addressing a child who didn't know any better. Again, Gelidus bristled at the action. "Does it really matter? By the time I wipe out your race, your questions won't need answered."

The threat made Gelidus furious, having to restrain himself from just barreling forward recklessly to knock the alien out. He then thought out a quick plan and executed it with amazing speed, vanishing and reappearing behind the figure and kicking him alongside the head. Unfortunately, his blow was blocked before the contact was made by the other's… pointer finger.

The invader laughed as Gelidus then recovered and tried punching him in the face, only to have no effect whatsoever. Confused and shocked by the revelation of just how strong the other was, Gelidus flinched. Not even a second later, the stranger took advantage of the opening and threw the Arcosian into the ground, creating a large crater. As Gelidus lied there, stunned and coughing from the air being knocked out of him, he marveled at just how insanely strong the mysterious alien was. Never before had he been so quickly outclassed by anyone other than his superior. The man's strength was so unreal, would it even be possible for his best friend to stop him?

"See? I told you that telling you anything would be a waste of time!" The stranger laughed deviously, mockingly as he floated slowly down to Gelidus's semi-conscious form. He sneered. "You can't even get up, can you? Tch. You're the same as every other lizard here."

Growling angrily at the jab, the Arcosian managed to lift his head from the ground to glare up at the alien with heated daggers. "He'll stop you." He groaned abruptly from the shooting pain up his side, but kept his demeanor. "You bastards won't get away with genocide!"

"Hahaha! That's hilarious. Whoever 'he' is doesn't worry me at all. I can sense his energy and it's nothing compared to mine or my friends." The alien then reached down and picked Gelidus up by his left arm, squeezing so hard, the sound of his bones cracking under pressure could be heard even from miles away. The Arcosian released an agonized scream before being slammed once more into the crater his body had created earlier, panting from the pain.

The stranger chuckled then, raising an outstretched palm in front of Gelidus's face smugly. He made sure the two made complete eye contact as he finished by saying, "My name is Son Goku, the strongest Saiyan in the universe, and I will conquer every planet to prove it!"

A bright light emitted from the Saiyan's palm, giving the Arcosian no time to react as his vision whited out from the blast and then faded to black. Everything went silent then, and for the first time since he could remember, Gelidus felt genuine fear for his own life instead of others.


	2. Personal Purgatory

Wind. Gelidus felt the caress of a breeze over his body as he came to, blinking his eyes open and slowly lifting himself from the ground onto his hands and knees with a groan. The Arcosian gasped with a wince and immediately grabbed at his left bicep. "Dammit…" He muttered, remembering who caused the injury, though it didn't seem like he was anywhere close to the one called Son Goku anymore. Where was he? Shouldn't he be dead? Scanning his surroundings, Gelidus found himself amidst some kind of forest, its foliage colored a mustard yellow. Picking himself up onto his feet and straightening out, he gave a once over at the place.

It appeared that wherever he was seemed utterly desolate. He didn't hear any creatures chattering or the telltale rustling of life nearby. Could it be… this was Purgatory? Perhaps Gelidus really did die and this is where the afterlife landed him. He was never sure of what came after death, but it seemed better than other possibilities if this was it.

Like a ki blast to the back of the head, sudden images of the Arcosian's planet falling in ruins came to mind instantly after remembering the self-proclaimed Saiyan moments before. His best friend was back there- His family! How could he know if they were able to defeat that menace if he was dead and stuck here? They needed him! With a roar of frustration, Gelidus gathered red colored energy into his fist and struck the nearest tree, splintering it into thousands of little pieces. His nostrils flared as he came back down from his sudden outburst, the energy fading from his hand slowly.

Nothing.

There was nothing he could do and there was no way of helping it. Even if this wasn't some kind of afterlife, Gelidus didn't have a ship to leave this place or any other means of escaping. Throwing a tantrum wasn't going to change that either. It was hard to accept, but what other option did he have otherwise?

Sighing, Gelidus folded his arms across his chest and looked towards the pink and yellow horizon with a frown. At least he still had his best friend's scouter on him. It was strange that it would come with him into the afterlife, if he was truly dead, but again, the Arcosian never did question life after death.

* * *

Gelidus found himself famished after 36 hours of waking up in his new surroundings. He also found that there were indeed creatures that inhabited the area, but they were quiet and scarce by nature. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for his scouter, Gelidus wouldn't be dining on a strange, small mammalian creature right now. It wasn't exactly the best cuisine he's ever had, but he wasn't about to starve to death by being picky.

Using his right hand to hold the spit with meat on it, Gelidus munched into the scorched creature, ignoring his left arm, which was definitely out of commission for right now. He had managed to find a particular leaf that was large and sturdy during his hunt, and fashioned it into a sling for his injured appendage. He silently thanked whatever gods existed as he sat and ate in contemplation, as it would have taken more than a day for his arm to fully heal after such a brutal attack had he been born another race.

Setting his spit of leftover whatever-it-was next to the fire pit he created, the Arcosian laid back and took in the night sky above. The idea of being dead seemed less and less likely as the hours went by, which meant there was still a chance he could return to planet Arcose and aid his superior in restoring their cities and families. The niggling doubt at even his prince surviving the destruction didn't seem to let up though, and it made the warrior huff in annoyance. There shouldn't be any doubt at all in Gelidus's mind! After all, he was an elite member of the Planet Rescue Organization, and his leader never failed before when it came to his duties.

If there was some way he could escape this place, Gelidus would gladly-

 _SOMEONE SUMMONS YOU FROM A PLACE FAR AWAY._

Startled and ready for confrontation, Gelidus snapped upright and got into a fighting position, hastily glancing around for the source of the booming voice. His right hand glowed with red energy as he prepared for someone to attack him, this time aggressively determined not to lose.

 _BRAVE WARRIOR, COME FORTH._

It was then the Arcosian felt a strange pull, as though trying to rip him away from where he stood. He then knew, for whatever unknown reason, that if he consciously agreed or disagreed to be taken to wherever, the deep voice inside his head wouldn't argue. Gelidus gradually relaxed and simply stood in the grassy field, all hostility dropping in mild understanding. It was his chance to escape from his own Purgatory, and he wasn't about to pass it up.

Without hesitation, Gelidus allowed himself to be teleported away, leaving his bonfire and leftovers behind in solitude.


	3. An Unwelcome Welcome

The sudden shift to another location was jarring, leaving Gelidus a little dazed as he rapidly blinked away the blurriness of his vision. He managed to take in a little of his surroundings, but just barely, before his scouter picked up a nearby signature. Who is it now? Cautious, the Arcosian faced the newcomer with a determined frown, getting into a fighting stance despite his left arm still healing. "Were you the one who summoned me here?" Came the inquiry, stern and clipped.

His back turned to Gelidus, the stranger spun around to face him with a smile, slowly approaching the other as casually as if he was a friend. This unsettled the Arcosian further, showing his teeth as he grit them and tensed, ready for battle. Those features. They were very alike to the Saiyan's back on his home planet, especially his anatomical build. This was a trap! He has to be one of Son Goku's friends who summoned Gelidus here so to finish the job. The Arcosian had no clue how this alien managed to find him on a planet even he had no clue about, but it was obvious the other was going to take advantage of his gimp arm.

A few feet away from Gelidus now, the purple haired alien unsheathed his sword and suddenly came charging forward, thrusting the blade towards the Arcosian's chest. Expecting the attack, Gelidus took to the air to dodge the blow before hurling himself towards the man and slamming him into the ground by flipping and smashing his tail into the other's head. Though Gelidus was handicapped, he certainly wasn't harmless, and didn't need either arm to take the guy out if he could be knocked down this easily.

Once the dust settled, the Saiyan picked himself up from the ground with a smile, dusting his clothing off just as casually as Son Goku did when he and Gelidus met. Angered by this, the Arcosian vanished and reappeared behind the man to deliver a high-speed kick to his side. Unlike last time, his aim rang true, sending the other into some kind of fountain a ways away. The sight made Gelidus smirk for what felt like the first time in a long time, landing and waiting for the Saiyan to drag himself out of the water.

For some reason, this opponent wasn't as strong as Son Goku, and it made Gelidus wonder if the two were associated in any way after all. Would the bloodthirsty brute want to hang around with someone so insignificant to him in power level? Was this Saiyan just some kind of goon following after Son Goku because of his strength, hoping to ride his coattails to galactic conquest?

"You're pretty strong after all." Gelidus stared the soaked purple haired Saiyan down as he approached him, wearing that fake friendly smile their race seems so fond of. "My name's Trunks. Sorry for getting so rough on you, but I just had to make sure I got the right guy." The one called Trunks glanced at the Arcosian's arm with a raised brow while squeezing the water out of his cloak. "And now that I see you're injured, I guess you held up really well against me!"

Unamused, Gelidus continued frowning at the Saiyan, tail swishing back and forth in agitation behind him. "I don't know what game you're playing at, but I'm not convinced you attacked me with the thought of a friendly spar in mind." After all, his friend was in the middle of destroying everything and everyone back on Arcose.

"Woah, I didn't mean any real harm!" Trunks held his hands up defensively, clearly not expecting the other's response to be so serious. "I really did have to test you. You see, I kind of need help, and it seems you're someone who can since the dragon summoned you here."

"Dragon?" Gelidus repeated, never hearing any talk of dragons outside of his teachings.

"Oh right, you're probably not familiar." Trunks cleared his throat as he prepared to explain. "Well, there are these things called Dragon Balls that-"

"Never mind I asked." The Arcosian interrupted, his impatience and frustration catching up with him. "Just tell me what you want me for." Honestly, he couldn't care less what he was summoned for either, as he was a million times more concerned with what was going on back home. Regardless, it didn't seem like he would be able to return any time soon, as his surroundings suggested he was somewhere unworldly judging by the atmosphere and landscape. It all seemed so… unlike anything he had ever seen before while on any planet. Was this place perhaps a dimension of its own?

"Er, right." Trunks rubbed the back of his neck, recalling the reason he used the Dragon Balls a minute ago. "Anyways, I'm part of the Time Patrol Squad, and this place is the Kai of Time's dimension where the rest of the Time Patrollers reside." He raised an arm to the scenery behind him to emphasis his point. "Our job is to fix timelines that go astray from their original history."

The speech served to confuse Gelidus even further than when he first arrived, tilting his head to the side in wonderment. "How do you even know what the 'original history' is if there are different timelines?"

"The Kai of Time kind of comes in handy there. If there truly is a rift in time, she makes sure to let us patrollers know so we can fix it." Trunks eyed a glowing gateway half a mile away. "The Time Machine, as well as the Kai of Time, lie beyond that gate. After you meet a few patrollers and get yourself acquainted here, you should meet her."

"And why should I?" Gelidus questioned nonchalantly, still not totally on board with the Saiyan's plan.

"Uh, well," Trunks laughed nervously, picking up on the Arcosian's unwillingness. "I sort of hoped you would be a major help to the Time Patrol Squad. I did summon one of the most powerful fighters in the universe, one of which is you, so I guess I'm kind of anticipating you'll accept my request."

Gelidus stared at Trunks for a moment, letting everything sink in. If the Saiyan was part of a Time Squad dedicated to righting history, he probably wasn't associated with Son Goku in any way due to the other's tyrannical, chaotic nature. Once more, this place seemed a lot better than the desolate planet he was on before, and it would seem his help in exchange for a comfortable residence would be fair. Maybe, once he served the Time Patrol, he could convince them to send him back to his home planet. The damage there might already be done, but if this place revolved around time travel, they could send him back to the ideal time before the rampage to keep it all from happening. Maybe.

"Gelidus." The Arcosian nodded, reaching his hand out in a friendly gesture.

Trunks blinked at the sudden compliance, but smiled and happily took Gelidus's hand to give a firm shake. "Glad to have you on board, Gelidus."

Though it was clear the Saiyan had no ill intentions, the Arcosian couldn't seem to meet the other's joyful expression with his own, instead keeping a rather neutral air during the exchange.


	4. Incoming Introductions

For Gelidus, it was strange seeing so many Arcosians in the Time Patrol walking around in their first and second forms. Doing so in front of others, same race or not, usually meant they either had something to hide or were so incredibly powerful, they needed to repress their power level. Somehow, Gelidus doubted that every Arcosian here was in need of a buffered form. Because of this, he has been putting off speaking to some of his kind, at least until he gets a firmer grasp on what this dimension is like. Perhaps there is a good reason to hide their true forms here despite how much praise it got for being the 'clubhouse' of the Time Patrol.

Besides his own kind being here, there have been many other races that are a part of the Time Patrol that Gelidus is both familiar and unfamiliar with as well. He definitely knew of the Namekians, who are a very war-oriented race that constantly fights among themselves for territory and power, as well as the Saiyans, who even now he side-eyes thanks to his experience with Son Goku. He didn't understand how the Time Patrol managed to get the races to see past their own history and upbringing to work together, but it was nice to see them collaborating for the greater good.

Now that Gelidus thought about it, the Time Patrol was very much like the World Rescue Organization, except the Time Patrol obviously focused more on saving history. Perhaps this line of work would be a perfect fit for him after all. That is, until he got the opportunity to go back home, of course.

As for now, Gelidus is expected to get to know one or more 'fellow' patrollers, which is easier said than done. It's not that the patrollers are unfriendly or difficult to talk to so much as they're always bustling whether it be running to a nearby shop, consulting robots on quests, or conversing amongst themselves in groups that quickly disperse in seconds. It got to the point where the Arcosian shrugged and leaned against a large golden statue of some kind of hero, admiring the view of the yellow tinted clouds in the distance and taking this time to rest.

"I see you're the fresh blood everyone's been whispering about."

Gelidus snapped his head to the sudden voice right next to him, cursing in his mind at himself for turning his scouter off earlier when he took a nap. This place didn't exactly have a night cycle, after all. "And you are?"

The alien had the anatomy of the Saiyans, but they were clearly not one judging by the lavender skin and violet-blue hair. It was hard to tell what gender they were, if they had one at all, but it didn't bother Gelidus in the least compared to the startle they gave him. "My name is Ploom. It's a pleasure to meet you." The other extended their hand in a friendly-gesture right after adjusting some kind of metal frame around their eyes. It didn't seem as advanced as Gelidus's scouter, that was for sure.

"I'm Gelidus, and you're right in assuming that I'm fairly new here." The Arcosian nodded and shook Ploom's hand. He was usually a lot more outgoing and expressive, but his new surroundings put him into a cautious air of neutral formality. It was his defense mechanism of sorts when things turned uncertain or dire. He glanced over towards the square filled with time patrollers. "I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to be doing right now, if I'm honest. Is there some kind of schedule or protocol we follow?"

Ploom chuckled. "No. Unless the Supreme Kai of Time herself specifically calls for us, we are to go about our business as usual. That business, specifically, would be taking part of events and parallel quests, which helps stabilize time as well as keeps us all trained and prepared." They smiled. "Whatever zeni or items you get from the quests are yours to keep of course, but it's up to you what to do with them. I personally give my zeni away to less powerful patrollers so they can purchase items to better themselves, for example."

"That's very generous of you." Gelidus commented, feeling himself open up slightly after hearing that Ploom shared their views in regards to helping others. "I was told by Trunks to get to know a few patrollers before meeting him at the Time Machine. Something about introducing me to my first quest."

"Sounds to me like he's going to send you to the past instead of an alternate timeline." Ploom's tone changed, solemn and serious all of a sudden. "I'm not sure if you know this, but someone has been messing with history, and if it continues, time will fall into chaos." They then gave Gelidus a somewhat pleading look, full of genuinity and concern. "It is incredibly important that you do not fail whatever mission Trunks sends you on. You _must_ persevere through any obstacles thrown at you."

A little taken back by this, as Gelidus had no clue this was even an issue beforehand, he slowly nodded and placed a reassuring hand on Ploom's shoulder. It really helped that his arm had completely healed to perform the action. "I swear I will dedicate every fiber of my being to the mission's success."

"Thank you." Ploom smiled faintly, appreciative. "Things around here have been very tense because of the countless historical manipulations as of late. We aren't usually running around in a hurry like this." They said as they looked over to the bustling plaza. "There have been more heated arguments and strained relationships than ever before here. I do hope these hard times pass swiftly."

"As do I." Gelidus concurred with a frown, watching a pink, glob-like person shove past someone rudely, but absent-mindedly, almost setting off the antagonized Saiyan's temper.

"You should go now." Gelidus found Ploom staring at him as he then looked back at them. "The sooner, the better. Even if the mission has nothing to do with history."

"You're right." The Arcosian smiled for the first time since leaving his home planet, finding himself a little more at home with the thanks of his new comrade, Ploom. "I hope to see you around then."

"Trust me, you will." They smiled back and waved after Gelidus as he departed for the Time Machine. He just hoped he'd be able to keep his promise to Ploom after becoming such good acquaintances, un-admittedly unsure of himself after his brutal beat down on Arcose.


	5. No Time To Explain

"While I hope you managed to get to know some patrollers around TokiToki City, we really need to focus on the main reason I summoned you here." Trunks explained to Gelidus, who had managed to find the Saiyan despite knowing little to nothing of the city's layout.

Folding his arms, the Arcosian nodded. "Admittedly, I'd kind of like to focus on this task you want from me as well." After all, despite him being summoned totally saving his life from a barren planet all by himself, Gelidus would like to know about the dire events he just got thrown into.

"To put it simply, someone is screwing up time and we not only need to fix it, but also try to find the culprit, if possible." Trunks turned and gestured to his right where a small building resided. "This is the Time Nest, where history is recorded and stored safely. Because of time's recent manipulation, however, this is also where we send experienced Time Patrollers to in order to right the past." He glanced back at Gelidus with a hopeful smirk. "We've already sent a few patrollers, as the changes to history have been rapid and don't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. If you do a parallel quest or two and show you're ready, we may just send you in next!"

Was that supposed to be something for Gelidus to look forward to? He stifled a sigh and continued nodding in affirmation. "Alright, but before I take part of any quests or time patrols, I think I need to have a discussion of my own with you."

"Oh?" Trunks tilted his head, looking understandably perplexed. "What kind of discussion?"

"I know I was somehow teleported off my planet while it was under attack by an unbeatable menace; and no, it wasn't by you." He made eye contact with Trunks again, a determined seriousness emanating from his person. "I need to go back someday. Hopefully soon." His gaze lowered with slight uncertainty then. "And I hope that, after learning of your abilities to time travel, you and this Supreme Kai of Time you speak of will aid me in preventing the death of my people. Of my world."

"That's…" Trunks glanced away nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "a tall order. I mean, it's not so much that we can't do it as much as we would have to not only run it by the Kai herself to ensure it's not totally history changing, but we'd also have to solve this whole time manipulation thing to begin with to even consider it." He grimaced and shook his head. "I can't make any promises, but… I'll see what we can do after we deal with this whole time mess."

It wasn't exactly what Gelidus wanted to hear, but it was a chance. It was something. He could accept these terms as of now. The idea of helping others through fixing history wasn't exactly a horrid alternative for using his time either, as it was really no different from what he did in the past.

"If you don't mind me asking, what planet are you from exactly?" Trunks interrupted the Arcosian's train of thought, his bubbling curiosity written all over his face.

Gelidus raised a brow at the Saiyan. Was it not obvious? The question seemed stupid to him, but maybe the man didn't get around as much as he assumed. Flicking his tail in amusement, Gelidus opened his mouth to speak.

"HEY! Trunks!" Came a distant but shrill cry from the Time Nest. Both warriors turned towards the commotion and spotted a small pink humanoid female who seemed beyond distressed. She completely ignored the Arcosian as she reached them both and began her rant, panting lightly. "We have not one, not two, but _three_ alterations of history happening at the same time right now! I need you to gather some Time Patrollers to take care of the distortions before any more appear out of nowhere. If you don't, we may not be able to mend time fast enough to put a stop to it!"

"Wh-What?! We just finished fixing the last disturbance an hour ago!" The Saiyan exclaimed in shock, fists clenching. He turned to Gelidus and almost immediately the Arcosian knew what was coming. "I know you just came here not long ago, and you didn't get the chance to finish a single quest, but we really need your help right now. I'll go and snatch up the nearest patrollers, you head to the Time Nest with the Supreme Kai of Time."

Gelidus blinked as Trunks ran off, side-glancing the girl who was now leading him into the Time Nest. She's the Kai of Time? Judging someone's appearance is not something Gelidus usually did, but he was awed that someone so small and frail looking had so much power and responsibility over the very concept of time.

"We have to hurry!" The Supreme Kai shoved the curtain covering the doorway aside and marched in, Gelidus following briskly behind. She grabbed one of three scrolls off the table sitting in the middle of the room and turned to him. Oddly enough, the scrolls were emitting a strange sinister energy that could be seen even without a scouter. The Supreme Kai of Time snapped the Arcosian out of it thanks to her authoritive tone. "Usually, we show our patrollers what lies inside the scroll before we send them off, but there's no time for that right now." She hurried through her explanation, obviously trying to get to what was important. "This scroll contains the time period where two Saiyans named Vegeta and Nappa invaded Earth. Originally, they were defeated by Son Goku with Vegeta retreating from his death, but history changed, and now both Vegeta and Nappa are both alive and have defeated the Z fighters along with Goku. Your job is to aid the Z fighters until Goku arrives, then help him if need be."

A deep, sickening pit formed in Gelidus's stomach and roiled. Son Goku? He had to _help_ Goku? The Saiyan who killed his people and pillaged his planet? Anger rose in his chest and he opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, the Supreme Kai shoved the scroll into his hands and commanded him with her eyes to hurry and not ask questions. Though every cell in his body screamed out in rebellion, Gelidus squelched his bitterness down for the Saiyan and nodded, closing his eyes and feeling himself once again shift from where he stood. After all, if it was for the good of history and everyone in it, he couldn't bring himself to refuse giving help over just one man.


	6. The First Mission

Green, pink, white, and black tiny bodies littered the ground, defeated. Gelidus huffed and turned towards the buff, arrogant Saiyan in the sky with a glare. He was done playing around with the things he called 'Saibamen', or whatever. Though there were many kinds, he took care of them all without a problem, despite their constant annoying ambushes. It was a shame, however, that he hadn't been able to save the Namekian and Humans, _not_ Saiyans, from their demises before showing up. He was, however, thankful that the small child and man were safe and hiding away somewhere around the area. They were in no condition to continue fighting.

"Nappa, you take care of the cold-blooded lizard. I'm not dirtying my hands fighting one of Frieza's people." The one called Vegeta sneered, glancing away.

"Humph. Who're you, Frieza's cousin?" Nappa cracked his knuckles and descended down from his comrade Vegeta's side to face adjacent to Gelidus. "No matter, cause when I'm done with you, nobody's gonna be able to recognize ya."

Gelidus took up an offensive fighting pose, brows narrowed in determination. Of course Saiyans would make such ignorant remarks about the Arcosian people. "Since you clearly can't open your eyes, I'll open them for you." Gelidus moved so quickly, Nappa blinked and he was gone just before he suddenly appeared again beside the other, smashing a ki engulfed fist into his jaw.

Nappa took a couple steps back, holding his chin and growling at the offender who simply stood and waited for retaliation. "You little…!" The bulkier Saiyan suddenly became furious, powering up with a shout of righteousness before attaining an electrified aura of sorts. Gelidus's scouter picked up a dramatic increase in Nappa's power level and he prepared himself, dropping into a more defensive stance. "Ha ha ha! Afraid of me now?" Nappa taunted.

It was Gelidus's turn to be surprised, gasping right when a fist planted itself firmly into his abdomen, immobilizing him completely, before a powerful kick to his side sent him flying. The Arcosian righted himself from the ground, rising to his hands and knees with a cough, grabbing around his stomach and cringing. The bastard packed a mean punch. He didn't expect Nappa's power level to jump so quickly in such short notice, but then again, that's exactly what happened last time when he met Goku.

Alright. It's time for a different approach.

"Not really." Gelidus got up from the dirt and dusted off his shoulder casually. Though the breath was knocked out of him for a moment, he wasn't terribly hurt by any means. "More amused, actually."

The comment didn't fly well with Nappa if his scowl was anything to go by. "Oh yeah? You will be once you're bloodied and bruised, begging for your life!"

Anticipating the outburst of anger, Gelidus swiftly dodged to the side of a rather powerful looking ki blast. He smirked at the Saiyan mockingly and folded his arms. Though this was part of his plan, he found that deep down, he was somewhat enjoying this. "You're not even trying anymore."

"Aaargh!" Nappa lost his cool entirely now, his energy spiking and the vein in his head popping out as he yelled out his frustration. "You're so dead!" Though the Saiyan was stronger now from his rage, he was less focused, allowing Gelidus to not only predict his next moves easier, but also corrupt him for more failure.

Just as Nappa finished his temper tantrum, he charged the Arcosian, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks that Gelidus was able to defend and counter against at the same rate of speed. The clash ended when Gelidus managed to grab Nappa's fist and twist it sharply outward, causing the Saiyan to howl in pain and nurse his broken wrist.

Before Nappa got the chance to recover, Gelidus used his tail to wrap around his throat and throw him into a faraway mountain, following quickly after to deal the finishing blow so to knock the Saiyan out cold. Though before he could reach the muscular Saiyan, a high-level ki blast beat him to the punch and evaporated the very mountainside Nappa crashed into, ending his life.

Turning to the source of the blast, Gelidus frowned in confusion. Wait… Vegeta? Why would he kill his own companion?

"The stupid oaf was just slowing me down." Vegeta scoffed, floating down to greet the Arcosian with a cocky smirk. "Since Kakarot isn't showing up and all his friends are either dead or deserters, I guess I'll deal with you next."

Gelidus prepared himself for whatever Vegeta was about to throw at him, ready.

"No, you'll definitely be dealing with me first." Came a voice from behind the Arcosian that chilled his very soul to its core.

"Daddy!"

"Goku!"

 _Son Goku._

"It looks like you managed to defeat Nappa." Trunks's voice blared from Gelidus's scouter, startling him for a second time as he simply floated midair in shock. "And hey, Goku's here! Oh, uh, I'm sorry about the sudden appearance, but I just got back from retrieving other patrollers! I hope I didn't scare you or nothing."

Gelidus swallowed and glanced back to see him, dressed in different garb than what he wore when he arrived on his planet. But no, it was still Goku. A red, hot pit of anger boiled in his gut at the very sight of him. He killed so many people and Gelidus just _couldn't_ let that slide!

"Hey, are you alright? Your breathing is a little weird." Trunks mentioned over the Arcosian's scouter. "Anyways, let Goku handle this. If he _can't_ handle it, then time is being manipulated again, and I'll need you to jump in to help, okay?"

Silence.

"Gelidus?"

"…Right." Gelidus murmured in reply, giving Goku one last look of contempt behind his back before going back to the child and man hiding behind a rock cheering. "Are you two still alright?"

"Are you kidding? Now that Goku's here, I'm just peachy! He'll stop the Saiyan from destroying Earth!" The short, bald Human grinned, absolutely ecstatic.

"Yeah, my dad's the strongest there is!" The child announced proudly, which made Gelidus realize something. Goku is this kid's father. And judging by the child's good natured-ness, he is a very decent one at that. So then, how is it he…?

"Not only have you murdered all my friends in cold blood, but also your own, as well as thousands of people on this planet." Goku and Vegeta descended from the sky to settle on a rock formation, eyes locked, challenging each other. Goku then became visibly angered, fists clenching. "I won't allow you to continue your rampage!"

"Aha ha ha! Do you really think a Saiyan of such low class can beat the very _Prince_ of all Saiyans?" Vegeta shook his head and folded his arms, giving the other a murderous smirk. "If you really believe you can stop me, Kakarot, I more than welcome you to try."

"My name is Goku, and I will." Goku responded with determination, dropping into a fighting stance Gelidus never saw before. "Anyone can become stronger with enough training."

That's when it happened. It wasn't hard to detect, just as before, but Gelidus saw it. The purple aura that eclipsed the scroll back at the Time Nest – Vegeta was now suddenly consumed with the strange energy. He seemed a lot more aggressive than before too. More powerful and vicious. Despite the Arcosian's great dislike of the Saiyan, he was concerned that Goku wouldn't be able to handle the other and that he would have to step in just as Trunks instructed.

"Nonesense! Scum can't possibly compare to an elite!" Vegeta roared, pushing off the ground one moment and punching Goku hard and fast the next. Just as Nappa with Gelidus, Vegeta took Goku by surprise, taking advantage of the other's lowered guard to throw in a cheap but swift shot.

Goku nearly crumpled, the air escaping him from the blow; but he did something Gelidus had not: Fight through the sudden shock and pain. Despite Goku losing wind, he ignored his physical ordeal and managed to get a good, clean punch in on Vegeta's cheek, causing the other to growl in outrage and deck him across the wasteland the second after. Gelidus had to admit, Goku did have a lot of spirit and determination, even if his show of it appeared suicidal right now.

"How dare you! You'll pay for making a fool out of me!" Vegeta screamed, charging at the wounded Saiyan, his purple aura growing ever bigger. Gelidus's scouter then beeped, detecting an increase in power level. His eyes widened in surprise as the device picked up Vegeta's dramatic improvement in the span of a second, overpowering Goku's power level by the hundreds. The boy and young man behind him seemed tense with fear and nervousness, as though sensing the very strength the Prince of all Saiyans was giving off.

"Gelidus, it's time to intervene. I'm picking up massive, evil spikes of energy from my fa- er, Vegeta! You can't let him beat Goku, no matter what!" Came Trunks's voice from the Arcosian's scouter, interrupting him out of his thoughts.

"Right." Gelidus gave a curt nod, leaving the two behind to quickly intercept Vegeta's charge.

"You're mine, Kaka- Hm?" Vegeta halted in his path at the sight of the red skinned Arcosian suddenly in front of him. He grit his teeth and powered up, obviously displeased by Gelidus's stepping in. "Don't waste my breath, you insignificant worm! I'll kill you and the rest of your miserable race after I defeat Kakarot."

Gelidus's expression turned dark at the threat, lowering his gaze at the Saiyan Prince, his voice tight from barely leashed malice. "You're not hurting anyone, you heartless monster."

Vegeta suddenly got close to the Arcosian's face, near enough for Gelidus to feel the dark energy emanating from him, before he growled predatorily. "And who's going to stop me? Because everyone in the galaxy knows your race is too cowardly to fight for yourselves."

In a sudden burst of cold rage, Gelidus quickly wrapped his tail around the Saiyan's neck and squeezed. Vegeta gripped at the tail choking him, squirming and coughing as he tried to claw the appendage away. Gelidus watched the other a few moments longer before tossing Vegeta into the air and quickly following after to deliver a powerful kick to his face. As the Prince fell from the sky to land somewhere below in the wasteland, Gelidus glanced over his shoulder to see a recovered Goku staring at him funny.

"What?" Gelidus glanced away and down at the trembling body on the ground, seeing the purple aura flicker before growing bigger than ever before. It wasn't usually that easy for the Arcosian to lose his cool, but he was _not_ going to just stand there and let a Saiyan mock the very race his barbaric kind killed.

"I can tell you're a good person, but did you really have to go so far?" Goku tilted his head to the side in curiosity, though Gelidus refused to acknowledge his judgmental staring.

"I have my reasons." Gelidus stubbornly closed his eyes and folded his arms. Just because he was helping the Saiyan right now, did not mean he forgave or forgot what he did to his planet.

"I dunno. I think you could ha-"

"GALICK GUN!"

A gigantic, magenta blast of ki interrupted the two warriors, both of them dodging to opposite sides of the beam before seeing a very pissed off Vegeta in front of them.

"That's it! You're both finished!" The Prince roared, lifting his hand to create a bright white light in his palm. Both Goku and Gelidus prepared to counter, but instead of throwing the ball of energy at them, the evil Saiyan threw it towards the sky.

"Burst and mix!"

Both warriors gave each other a puzzled look before the energy ball suddenly exploded into an even bigger and brighter white orb. For a moment, Goku and Gelidus thought nothing of the strange attack, both preparing to collaborate to take their opponent down. Then, Vegeta began growing fur, his body seeming to pulse like a heartbeat.

The Arcosian's scouter picked up another increase in power, beeping to warn its user. However, Gelidus simply stayed motionless and watched in awe from the air as Vegeta tripled in size and transformed into some kind of beast the size of the surrounding mountains. Just what the Hell was happening?!

"Hahahaha! Now, face the crippling power of an Oozaru!" Bellowed the gigantic ape that was the Prince of all Saiyans.

Goku seemed stricken by the sight, but didn't spare a second longer staring, blasting off towards the ape and delivering a mighty punch before being swatted away by the beast like a pesky fly. Vegeta chortled. "Fool! I'm bigger and stronger than you!"

"And slower!" Goku recovered quickly, wiping his mouth and chuckling mischievously, before zipping around Vegeta's head. The Prince tried to slap him away again, but found it was incredibly difficult this time around.

"Argh! Stay still, you pest!" Vegeta became distracted as Goku flew and dodged his attacks, more focused on smacking the Saiyan away than anything else around him.

"Gelidus! Krillin, the human male you encountered, is going to cut off Vegeta's tail, but Goku is going to need your help distracting him." Trunks's voice once again suddenly came from the Arcosian's scouter, though he found he was growing used to the unannounced comments by now. "Be careful, though! With Vegeta that strong, he could take you out in less than three hits."

"Got it." Gelidus nodded, eyeing the blazing purple aura still surrounding Vegeta, even in his current form. Gelidus then joined Goku, both fighters increasing the Prince's frustration by zigzagging and circling around the Oozaru with impeccable speed.

"Destructo disc!" Shouted a far off voice from below.

A scream of agony, coupled with a loud thud reminiscent to a large tree falling, caused both Goku and Gelidus to stop mid-flight and watch as Vegeta slowly transformed back into his smaller, humanoid form. A severed tail lay a few yards from the Prince, giving Gelidus an idea of what just happened, and he smirked.

"Looks like you ran out of options, Saiyan." The Arcosian teased, ready for a real battle to begin.

"I'll give you one last chance!" Goku warned, getting into the unfamiliar stance once again. His expression turned stern. "Leave Earth now!"

"Oh, I won't be leaving Earth." Vegeta cackled, taking to the sky quickly, high enough to reach the clouds. "I'll be destroying it!"

"What?!" Goku's eyes widened in shock. It was then the magenta colored ki from before began collecting in Vegeta's hands, and upon seeing it, Goku turned serious once more and crouched. "Kaioken!" The Saiyan shouted, his power level rising and again causing Gelidus's scouter to beep loudly in his ear. Goku then glanced over at the Arcosian and gestured with his chin to move.

Understanding, Gelidus quickly removed himself from the area and returned to Krillin and the child to make sure they were okay while the Saiyan warrior took care of Vegeta.

"Oh, it's you!" The child announced as Gelidus approached. "You helped my daddy… Thank you." He grinned cheerfully, a little reserved in his enthusiasm though as he never encountered an Arcosian before.

"Hey, I did too!" Krillin protested half-heartedly, more happy than anything to be seemingly wrapping up the Saiyan invasion.

Gelidus smiled warmly down at the kid, remembering his time in the World Rescue Organization and how he helped many children like him during his time there. "Don't thank me. I'm happy to help."

"So, this may be a little late to ask, but what's your name?" Krillin rubbed the back of his bald head a bit sheepishly, realizing he never got the new guy's name.

"It's Gel-"

A sudden spike of energy caused Gelidus's scouter to beep rapidly. So much so it almost overloaded and he hurried to shut it off so to keep it from exploding. The device itself was too precious to him to just let it get destroyed. Turning towards the battle, the trio witnessed an intense power emitting from Vegeta, who looked to be preparing a devastating attack.

Sensing danger, Gelidus moved swiftly to get Krillin and the kid to safety, but not swiftly enough, as he ended up blinded within seconds of the very thought. Before the Arcosian knew it, he was on the ground, injured and disoriented. He groaned and put a hand to his swimming head, squeezing his eyes shut so to clear his vision. That was rather unpleasant, but he found he definitely wasn't down for the count. Sitting up, Gelidus noticed Vegeta's pitiful attempt to escape as he dragged his broken body to the pod a few yards away from him.

"I'm not… gonna let you get away!" Krillin's raspy voice drew Gelidus's attention, seeing the young human carrying a sword as he limped towards Vegeta, obviously intentioned to kill. Huh. Gelidus couldn't help but wonder where the sword came from.

Thanks to Arcosians being a much more durable race, Gelidus was able to get to his feet without trouble and walk over to Krillin without even limping. He stood in his way of reaching Vegeta, folding his arms and shaking his head. He hadn't forgotten what the Kai of Time told him before his trip here, after all. "You can't."

"W-What?" Krillin's tone was a mix of disbelief and mild betrayal. "Why are you stopping me?"

"Krillin…!" Goku's voice attracted the gazes of both Krillin and Gelidus, who was laying flat on the ground a few feet away, way worse off than anyone else there save for Vegeta. "Ngh, let him go. I… I wanna fight him again."

"Are you crazy?" Krillin turned to his friend, refusing to believe any of what was happening was real. "He killed our friends and tried to destroy Earth!"

Before Goku could reply, the pod behind the gang took off into the atmosphere, long gone. Krillin and Goku watched at it disappeared, the former gritting his teeth as the murderer of so many escaped.

"Just let it go, Krillin." Goku muttered, relaxing back on the dirt now that Vegeta was gone. "It's over now."

Krillin huffed and dropped his sword. "Fine…" He then turned to where Gelidus stood. "So, you still didn't tell me your- Hey! Where'd he go?" The human glanced around frantically, searching for the missing Arcosian who so casually slipped away.

Gelidus turned his scouter back on and sighed, dusting off his shoulders from behind a large rock, as he was covered in filth. "…Mission complete."

"Roger that!" Came Trunks's cheery reply in Gelidus's ear before utter silence.

Glancing past the rock to see the human and Saiyan talking gleefully in the aftermath of battle, laughing and grinning as they burned out the rest of their adrenaline, Gelidus deduced that there was no way this Goku was the same as the one who attacked his planet. He was too… kind. Which led the Arcosian to another question: _Why_ wasn't this Goku the same as the one back on his planet?

Before he could ponder further, Gelidus felt himself being pulled once more to return to the Time Nest. Well, if he couldn't provide himself with answers, perhaps someone else he knew could. In a small flash of white, Gelidus was transported out of the restored timeline, the two warriors from afar too caught up in their moment to notice.


	7. Searching for Answers

"What are you talking about?" The Kai of Time asked, genuinely perplexed as she put her hands on her hips. "Goku never destroyed a planet, even in a parallel timeline! I mean, the worst he ever was, was when he _didn't_ get dropped on his head as a baby and grew up into a ruthless killer on Earth." She mused out loud, putting a finger to her lips in thought. "I think we took care of those alternate timelines a long time ago, though."

Gelidus's tail hit the ground in frustration, creating a minor crack in the foundation of the pavilion they both stood on. "How does that explain my planet's situation then? The Saiyan looks exactly like him, and he even called himself Son Goku!" Catching himself, he cleared his throat, folding his arms and taking a deep breath to regain his composure. "Sorry. I just… don't know what's been going on since the attack on my home planet."

Shocked by the angry outburst before relaxing into an understanding smile, the Lord of Time nodded. "It must be hard being away from home, especially when it's in such immense danger." She agreed sympathetically. "If you tell me what planet you're from, I might be able to check up on it for you, at least."

The offer had Gelidus perk up almost immediately, eyes coming to life after what felt like an eternity of waiting for such an opportunity. "Yes, I - …Wait." His expression suddenly fell into a confused frown. "You mean you have no idea what the planet I come from is called?" You'd think a being that sees all of time would know something like that. Arcosians have a rich history, after all.

"Well, no." The Kai appeared sheepish, purposefully avoiding eye contact with the bewildered alien. "I mean, I used to back when your people lived together peacefully, but that was forever ago."

It felt as though someone delivered a swift punch to his chest, forcing the air out of him. What was she talking about? Why was there a past tense in that sentence? Never before had he needed answers so badly, especially when discussing such things with someone as all knowing as a Kai. Looking slightly more perturbed, he questioned further. "Do you… even know what my race is called?"

"Of course!" The Lord chimed in reply happily, knowing she was going to nail this one. "You're a Frieza Clansman from none other than the Frieza Clan."

 _No_. No, no, no. That wasn't right. Nothing the Kai of Time was saying was right!

Gelidus shook his head and became noticeably more upset. "That's not it!" He shouted in frustration, realizing that if the very Kai of Time was this convinced of such falsehood, he had no hope in getting home. "I'm an Arcosion from the planet Arcose, where the rest of my people come from. We never separated and we're certainly no "clan"!" He then remembered what name she put in front of "clan", and became even more confused after rolling it over in his head. "Why… are you calling us the _Frieza_ Clan?"

The Kai had taken a cautious step back in an attempt to avoid the Arcosian's second outburst. However, she wasn't as concerned about the new patroller's meltdown as much as she was about his lack of knowledge about his own people. Perhaps he had lost his memory?

"Gelidus…" The Lord's expression softened, only tall enough to place a comforting hand on the other's forearm. "Do you know who Frieza is?"

Gelidus hesitated for a moment as he recalled the Arcosian, lifting a hand to palm over the red scouter on the side of his head. He smiled fondly and closed his eyes, as though recalling a memory. "How could I not know? Prince Frieza has been my best friend and superior for years."

"WHAT?!" The Kai's cry of astonishment had broken Gelidus out of his reverie, making his gaze snap up in surprise to see the timekeeper incredibly distressed by the news. The Kai pointed an accusing finger at him. "You and Frieza? Friends?! But, how is that possible? The Namekian patroller I sent out to read your intentions told me you weren't… well, anything like Frieza!"

Completely glazing over the last part, as Gelidus found the former a lot more offensive, he bristled with a glare. "I understand I'm not as selfless or generous as Prince Frieza, but I'm not cruel and heartless because of it."

"What? No! Have you lost your mind? Ugh…" The Kai ran her hand over her face in exasperation, now beyond understanding what the newest patrolman was talking about. She tried a hand at refreshing the other's memory. "Frieza is, or _was_ , a dictator who invaded and sold planets or destroyed them, killing innocent people either way. He and his family were the ones who ensured your kind were scattered and hated across the universe due to their ruthless empire.

"You don't have a home planet in regards to your race, Gelidus." She couldn't hold back a sympathetic frown at this point. "You, among many others here, have had to travel a very lonely path thanks to Frieza. Some have voiced very strongly how much they would like to repay him and his family the favor, in fact, and especially resent him for dubbing your kind for the universe to be known as "Frieza Clansmen"."

"Lies!" Gelidus's temper flared in a rare show of anger at the accusation of his best friend being so dastardly. "I grew up on a planet filled with Arcosians! I've worked beside Prince Frieza himself for decades, making Arcose and the universe a better place!" His tail slammed the ground again, this time making a bigger crack in the pavilion, nearly destroying the foundation the two stood on this time. "You _can't_ tell me my memories and experiences are false!"

Sighing, the Lord of Time crossed her arms and shook her head. "Would you like me to show you then?"

Gelidus blinked, not expecting a calm offer as her retort. "Uh…Show me what?"

"Come with me." The Kai turned and walked out of the damaged pavilion with Gelidus following behind uncertainly. It was impossible for the Arcosian to be wrong here. He had lived with his own people in relative peace for decades before Goku attacked them. How could the Lord be right?

The two entered the Time Nest, Gelidus standing and waiting by the door with his arms folded as the Kai of Time went to work on finding a scroll. He had an idea of what she was doing, but it didn't change the fact he had different memories and a token from said memories on him that contrasted against her version of history.

"Here." The Kai grabbed up a scroll from the second row of shelves before bringing it over to Gelidus and unfurling it. "Take a peek."

Glancing at the Lord before settling his attention back on the scroll, Gelidus glanced down over the small female's head to witness what she wanted to show him.

* * *

"Do you see now?" The Kai of time rolled the scroll back up and stared long and hard at Gelidus, challenging him now that he too saw history as she and many others knew it.

The Arcosian was speechless, frozen where he stood as he let what he saw sink in. Prince Frieza had killed millions of people without hesitation; destroyed the home world of the Saiyans. And that horrible, evil cackle…

"That wasn't him…" Gelidus muttered so quietly, the Kai could barely hear him. He suddenly felt ill, shaking his head in denial. "It couldn't have been him."

"I'm sorry, Gelidus." The Lord sighed, moving to put the scroll away. "I know you told me you were teleported away from your planet before we transported you here with the dragon balls, but there has never been a timeline where Freiza has been giving and kind. The same goes for your people living on the same planet, helping other planets.

"I don't know why your memories are so different from other Arcosians here, but you can't argue now that you saw Frieza as he exists in history." The Kai was noticeably slightly flustered from their exchange earlier, but still kept that subtle hint of pity in the way she spoke and held herself. Gelidus had caught onto it and resented it. He didn't want pity. He wanted more answers.

Just then, an idea came to the Arcosian to justify himself. Taking his scouter off his head, Gelidus glanced over at the Lord. "Just to prove to you I'm not crazy or suffering from memory loss," He held the device out to her. "I want you to look at a few pictures saved in my scouter." Even if the Kai of Time herself couldn't help him, he could at least save some face and show her he isn't someone who needs to be grieved for.

"Oh?" The Kai took the scouter and turned it over to inspect it before putting it on. "Most of the time your people don't even bother installing the software for taking photos on these."

Gelidus stayed silent as a reply, waiting for the Kai to follow through with his request. After a moment, the Lord of Time began searching through the scouter for photos, stopping completely upon opening the software.

"Is this…?" She couldn't seem to make the words out, shocked as she focused on the picture displayed in front of her.

Seeing the mirror image from standing right in front of her, Gelidus nodded in affirmation. "Yes. That is Prince Frieza shaking hands with the king of Arlia."

The Kai gaped in shock at the confirmation, looking to Gelidus for an explanation. "B-But the Arlians were made almost extinct when Vegeta and Nappa landed there on their way to Earth. The whole planet blew up!"

Ignoring the claim for both their sakes, Gelidus motioned towards the scouter, signaling for her to look at another photo.

Biting her tongue, just this once because she was incredibly curious as to what else the scouter had on it that defied history itself, the Lord of Time moved on to the next photo. A sharp gasp left the Kai's lips before her expression fell into utter disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me…"

There on the small, red screen was a picture of Frieza laughing heartily and sharing a glass of wine with his brother, Prince Cooler; the two royal siblings sitting at a table, which rested on a beach with crimson sand. It looks as though the elder brother had just told the younger a joke, and Frieza nearly spilled his beverage laughing pretty hard at it, fellow soldiers around the two laughing right along with him who happened to overhear. It was obvious the picture was taken on a planet populated by Brench, as there were many along the shore in the background and even in the ocean.

"But Cooler and Frieza never get along…" The Lord of Time murmured, shaking her head. "And this whole photo just… It doesn't make sense!"

"I could say the same about everything you just told and showed me." Gelidus tilted his head to the side. "Do you at least believe that the things I told you ring true to some degree?" He met the Kai's gaze with a frown. "I mean, as much as I don't believe it due to my own past, I do believe the history you've shown me exists." Gelidus admitted with a little frustration, annoyed by the whole thing, as he retrieved his scouter from the Lord of Time and put it back on his head.

"Yeah, I agree all right." The Kai replied, closing her eyes in deep thought. "Hmm, I know for a fact there's never been a timeline where anything of what you've shown me ever existed." She looked to the ceiling then as she pondered it over, looking troubled now. "Then again, it's always possible that you simply don't belong here."

Gelidus raised an eyebrow ridge, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

The Lord shrugged helplessly with a sigh. "I'm not one hundred percent sure, but it's possible that you just don't belong anywhere in history, somehow." She made eye contact with the other as she made what she could of the situation, a hint of sadness flecking her gaze now. "The drastically different people and past you've shown me doesn't fit anywhere in history, making you the odd guy out in all of time."

After a few agonized beats, realization hit Gelidus hard and unforgiving, his chest tightening even as he went to speak. If that was true, if she was indeed correct, then that meant- "So then… Does that mean…?"

"If that's the case, then yes, Gelidus." The Lord of Time shook her head sadly, giving the Arcosian that pity filled look again. Gods, did he hate receiving that look. It served nothing but to worsen his plight. "There wouldn't be any way to send you back home to the time you remember."


	8. Settling In

The plaza in TokiToki City was bustling as always, people of all races pacing here and there, trying to fulfill their own tasks. Luckily, Gelidus had found a small area to hide away in between two buildings where no one could simply walk by and notice him. He didn't wish to be bothered. There was too much on his mind right now.

Thinking about his future, tail swishing back and forth mindlessly behind him, Gelidus sighed and closed his eyes. Was there really a point to being here, being a Time Patroller, if he didn't even belong in this time? Sure, he's helping people, and it felt good as it always did to aid others in need, but now Gelidus was filled with doubt. If he was an outsider, he could disrupt the order of things. After all, the Arcosians here would probably know right off the bat he wasn't from this place if they spoke to one another, as the Kai of Time informed Gelidus of their lonely, untrusting lifestyle. Not all were like that, she had told him, but the majority grew up distant and cold thanks to their circumstances.

He really didn't want to ponder it over, but he knew it was only a matter of time before his worries over his return to his planet would bug him after his little talk with the Kai. If he didn't belong anywhere in time, she couldn't help him. She had explained as much, but it filled the Arcosian with a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't like the feeling of hopelessness, something he felt so strongly before back on Arcose with Goku. It went against his determined nature, and he couldn't find it in himself to feel _truly_ happy in helping the Time Patrol because of it.

And feeling that just made him feel even more terrible. _Damnit_.

"There you are. I thought I sensed you around here."

Gelidus's head snapped up, gasping lightly as he reacted to the voice suddenly right above him.

"The ground is rather cold, but I will join you if you'll have me."

Groaning, Gelidus shook his head with slight annoyance at himself. Once again, he had turned his scouter off, but this time for the sake of peace and quiet. "Hey, Ploom." He rested his head against the wall of the building behind him. "Of course I don't mind."

"Lovely." Ploom smiled before taking a seat next to the Arcosian, sitting very neatly and politely. "I trust your mission was a success then? I was informed you indeed did go on a dire mission to fix history."

Glancing over at his new friend from his spot, Gelidus nodded. "I did. It was a success."

A moment of silence passed.

"Something is bothering you." Ploom stated plainly, as a matter-of-factly.

"…I don't belong here" Gelidus glanced down grimly, avoiding his friend's searching gaze.

"Of course you do." Ploom stated with a smile. "I sense nothing but good will from you. You enjoy helping others, even though it goes against the usual norm of Arcosians: Self-preservation and one's own strength. " They rested a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder then. "If anything, you are best suited to be here compared to many others I have met."

Though the kind reassurance was appreciated, it didn't mean a thing when Ploom didn't understand the context of what he was saying. The Arcosian shook his head. "Thank you, really, but I didn't exactly mean it that way when I said I didn't belong." He twisted his mouth to the side, unsure if he should even mention it to someone else who wasn't the Kai. "You see, I'm apparently not a part of history. If you were to try and find me in the past, I wouldn't be there. It's like I'm nonexistent…"

"Curious." Ploom noted analytically, pushing their frames up higher onto their nose as they thought out loud.

Huh. Gelidus wasn't expecting such a calm, logical reaction to such a reveal, but it worked fine for him. He continued, telling the other about his past, experiences and memories and how different they were to the history Ploom and many others knew so dearly. He wasn't expecting his new friend to help him, of course, but it was nice to at least have someone to share his lowest points with.

Again, Ploom's response was a quiet hum, closing their eyes in thought. "I see…" They whispered. "Your situation is quite troublesome."

Gelidus nodded. Before he could get a word in though, a large, dark shadow suddenly eclipsed the sun.

"Just what do you think you maggots are doing?"

The gruff voice didn't intimidate either patroller as they stared up at the figure, nonplussed. "And who might you be?" Gelidus raised an eyebrow ridge at the silhouette, somewhat peeved at the rude interruption.

"Hmph. You've got a lot of nerve, lizard. This is my spot." The Saiyan woman stepped forward, out of the way of the sun, to grab onto Gelidus's chest armor and lift him up. He then saw the monkey tail and frowned, his discontent obvious. The Saiyan noticed. Her eyes narrowed as she growled out dangerously. "You think you're better than me, don't ya? That you're superior to me because you're one of Frieza's people? Well guess what, you're nothing but a group of cold hearted cowards! You're all the same as your precious Lord!"

An unfamiliar glint of anger then reached Gelidus's eyes as he grabbed onto the woman's wrist out of nowhere and squeezed hard enough to bruise. He couldn't seem to reel himself in at this point as he seethed. "Let go of me before you regret it. _Now_." He snarled back with just as much venom, visibly nettled.

"Or what?" The Saiyan bared her teeth, getting in the Arcosian's face and returning the acidic tone. "You're gonna- Huck!" She fell before she could finish, crumpling onto the ground in an unconscious heap.

Ploom dusted their hands off and shrugged nonchalantly at the sleeping Saiyan. "Anger is a poison inside and out of the battlefield." They finished as they glanced over at Gelidus. "If you let it consume you, you become blind to the most obvious obstacles in your path."

"What did you…?" Gelidus blinked in surprise for a moment before inspecting the woman, finding she was completely out cold. He didn't see what Ploom had done. He had been so… unreasonably angry. It actually took the Arcosian back a bit upon realizing that his temper has been poorly leashed recently, and he had no clue as to why. It was so uncharacteristic of him.

"Pressure points." Ploom answered, pointing to a spot on the back of Gelidus's neck. "It's not advised to try and take advantage of them when in the middle of battle, but works perfectly fine if used on a distracted opponent."

"Ah…" Gelidus noted duly, rubbing between his eyes with a sigh after a pause. "Listen, about the way I've acted…"

Ploom raised their hand to stop him. "You're filled with hurt and tainted by vengeance." They stated, the Arcosian only now noticing a distinct glow emanating from Ploom's yellow irises as they spoke. "Though I can understand your behavior by the story you've shared with me, I cannot agree with the animosity you hold towards the Saiyan people. In this time, they are the ones who have suffered a great loss by the hand of one of _your_ people." They finished, eyes dimming back to normal.

At this point, Gelidus didn't know what to react to first: The fact Ploom just read him and his feelings easier than he can read himself or that he has been harboring a violent grudge against Saiyans for quite a while now, which disgusted him. It also didn't help that he forgot about the tragedy that befell the Saiyan race and who had done it. Guilt consumed him right then and there, ashamed by it all.

"Ploom…" Gelidus started and stopped in one beat, not knowing what to say at first. He then slouched in defeat, understanding that there wasn't any way to excuse himself for the way he's acted lately. "You're right. I've been wrongfully belligerent this whole time towards an entire race that has nothing to do with what happened to me or my home." A hint of sadness reached his smile as he glanced over towards his companion. "After all, I'm not even a part of history, right?"

Ploom suddenly pulled Gelidus into a hug, to which the Arcosian stiffened at, not expecting the abrupt affection or closeness. "Acknowledging your faults is a start." Ploom squeezed affectionately. "I sense that though your grudge is far from removed, time will mend your heart eventually."

Was that supposed to be comforting? Even though they were friends, Gelidus found he still didn't really get Ploom or how they worked, so to say. He also didn't get what they meant by that last part. Gelidus patted their back awkwardly, glad the both of them were removed from prying eyes. "Erm… Thanks?"

Ploom pulled away and smiled. "You are welcome. Shall we take our leave before our fellow patroller wakes up?" They looked pointedly at the Saiyan still on the ground.

Stealing a glance at the woman, more guilt twisting his insides up from what happened earlier, Gelidus agreed and they both turned to leave the cramped alley.

Upon exiting, the pair found themselves in the heart of the plaza where there seemed to be a constant flow of people. Initially, Gelidus had planned to simply walk on through to get to the parallel quest booth opposite of him. He hadn't had a chance to do so yet and having Ploom as a partner would be helpful for learning the ropes as a time patroller. But as he and his companion strolled by the very center of the plaza, the Arcosian caught something familiar in his peripheral vision.

Gelidus turned his head, eyes slowly widening in shock as he paused and took in the figure waiting by a nearby kiosk a little ways away from him. "No… How did…?"

Ploom, who was blissfully unaware of their friend lagging behind, turned and gave Gelidus a confused look. "Hm?" They followed Gelidus's gaze, stared along with him at the figure, and then laughed once it all clicked together. "Ha ha! Ah, don't worry. That Vegeta is from an alternate timeline. He has no idea you even exist, and more importantly, he isn't evil enough to attack anyone here." Ploom finished with a smile.

Gelidus _supposed_ that sounded about right. He kept glancing over at the alternate Vegeta a little nervously until the Saiyan Prince caught him staring and glared at the nosy Arcosian from the corner of his eye. Though not intimidated, Gelidus couldn't help feeling uncomfortable having someone who killed their own comrade in battle just for the sake of doing it within TokiToki City. The eye contact between the two lasted a few more heartbeats before Gelidus glanced away and continued on towards the parallel quest booth.

"Care to explain what that was about?" Ploom walked right alongside Gelidus, not missing the silent exchange between the two warriors a second ago. The patroller might not have been a part of whatever mission Gelidus was on, but they could hazard a guess as to why their friend was acting funny, curious about the details of his mission as well.

Gelidus's mouth quirked to the side, not really wanting to talk about it, especially when the man they were conversing about was nearby. "I had to fight Vegeta on my mission. Let's just say I didn't take a shine to the way he dealt with his allies or the Earth."

Ploom chuckled with a nod as Gelidus gave them a funny look. "So you went that far back, did you? I suppose it would be easier for whoever is manipulating history to start at the near beginning."

"The near beginning?" Gelidus stopped just before approaching the parallel quest booth's counter, not understanding.

Ploom nodded once more with a smile. "The near beginning of Goku's life. We found that the time manipulator has only been messing with parts of history where Goku is alive. His encounter with his brother Raditz has been the earliest manipulation yet."

Gelidus put a finger to his chin in thought, wondering what _that_ could possibly mean. Why would someone only change the parts of history where Goku was alive at the time? What made him so special?

"Excuse me!" A flanging voice startled the duo from their conversation, both turning and facing a robot behind the PQ counter. "I apologize, but a line is forming behind you. Would you like to participate in a parallel quest?"

What was with all the interruptions today? Gelidus peeked over his shoulder and indeed did see a line starting to grow, filled with patrollers ranging from mildly annoyed to struggling with their temper. He gave a light sigh of frustration and nodded. "Yes. We would both like to participate in one together, please."

The robot's camera readjusted as it looked at Gelidus, then back at the files in its hands, removing a stack of papers before offering it to the Arcosian. "Here's your list." It chimed happily.

Ploom took the clipboard off of the robot and showed Gelidus, the two glancing over the remaining files together. After a pause of inspection, Gelidus realized something. "Huh? Why did the robot get rid of so many papers? There's only two pages of missions here." He peered up at Ploom, looking for answers.

Waving their hand dismissively, Ploom chuckled. "You're new, remember? And because of that you're only given a few easy missions to start with." They pointed at a symbol at the corner of the page. "See this star? The more there are, the more challenging and serious the quest." Then they pointed at a box below the star. "And these are the requirements that we need to meet in order to succeed in our mission."

"I get it now." Gelidus affirmed as he took the clipboard from his companion. He looked over the few quests available and had to hold back a disappointed groan. They could either aid the humans he met before train or help gather materials for Trunks and the Kai. He was hoping to make a bigger impact while stuck here as a Time Patroller, but he supposed he had all the time in the world, now that he thought about it…

Gelidus quickly escaped that thought by focusing on the present, peering over at Ploom. "So are you up to helping these guys train?" He pointed to the mission in particular on the file.

Ploom smirked, giving a thumb's up. "It's a date."


End file.
